US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, expressed Washington’s disappointment with Israel’s announcement that it plans to build 3,000 new housing units in the settlements.
Blinken explained on Friday that the US administration believes that expanding settlements does not serve the solution in the region.
Blinken said that Washington seeks to ensure that any plan does not lead to compromising the area of Gaza or to its return to occupation by Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the “Next Day” plan regarding Gaza, and said that Israel would maintain security control over all Palestinian areas and would make the reconstruction of Gaza linked to its disarmament.
The plan proposes that Israel maintain full security control over all lands west of the Jordan River, which are lands on which the Palestinians want to establish an independent state.
The United States is working to ensure the return of all hostages to their homes, according to the US Secretary of State, stressing, that they seek to release the hostages in Gaza, deliver aid to civilians, and prevent the conflict from expanding.
The latest war broke out in Gaza after a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which it says led to the death of 1,200 and the taking of dozens of hostages.
Vowing to crush Hamas, Israel then launched its campaign on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 29,500 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities. The attack forced most of the Gaza Strip’s residents to flee and caused the spread of hunger and disease.
